Ethan Zuckerman's blog, My Heart's in Accra, writes on friend and mentor John Palfrey and his lecture on 'The Path of Legal Information'. Palfrey argues that the newly emerging digital culture has prompted the emergence of a new form of legal information distribution. A quote:
The codification of English law began under King Henry II in the 12th century, but a larger second wave of collection came into play with printing in the 16th century, and we began seeing both a collection of law and commentary on laws. A third phase, at the end of the 18th century, came about in part through the work of William Blackstone. Blackstone’s great insight was that these legal books – which could cost a year’s salary – needed to be much cheaper. His inexpensively printed books sold massively in England and in the US.
The fourth phase of legal information comes about with Christopher Columbus Langdell – for whom Harvard’s library is named – who introduced the case system of law. Palfrey suggests we’re now seeing an emergent fifth system, though it’s coming about in desultory fashion.
When a decision comes out, it’s been produced in a digital fashion – that we print it out is an artifact of our current system. We should release this information in an open, interoperable fashion so that we can generate new systems atop the law.Zuckerman continues to summarize Palfrey's lecture, noting that the next step for the law would be to create a standardized form for digital legal information- thus allowing for enhanced ability to compare laws across legal regimes. It is an excellent read, both from a digital culture and legal perspective.
The Chronicle Review has an article by a professional who makes their living on writing academic papers for students at all levels. When I was a graduate teaching assistant, grading essays became a major souce of my time spent on non-academic work and while I would like to think that I was never 'taken' by a ghost written paper this expose definitely proves it does occur. A quote:
I've written toward a master's degree in cognitive psychology, a Ph.D. in sociology, and a handful of postgraduate credits in international diplomacy. I've worked on bachelor's degrees in hospitality, business administration, and accounting. I've written for courses in history, cinema, labor relations, pharmacology, theology, sports management, maritime security, airline services, sustainability, municipal budgeting, marketing, philosophy, ethics, Eastern religion, postmodern architecture, anthropology, literature, and public administration. I've attended three dozen online universities. I've completed 12 graduate theses of 50 pages or more. All for someone else.
You've never heard of me, but there's a good chance that you've read some of my work. I'm a hired gun, a doctor of everything, an academic mercenary.From the International Journal of Design, an article on the Emotional Value of Distal Contact. Definitely on the theory side of writing, but one that I feel is important nonetheless as design of distance networks that can effectively tap a persons emotional psyche has tremendous impact on the ultimate form of websites, apps, and future interfaces that will be used to facilitate our participation in a fully digital culture. Once again, a quote:
But what exactly do we mean by “distance” and “proximity” on the level of an emotional relation? It is certainly not a physical proximity, as is indicated by the possibility of an emotional contact at a distance.
In order to bring clearly into focus the figure of touch that is relevant in the description of emotional relations, our key will paradoxically be precisely this situation of distal contact. The very possibility of “entering into contact” at a distance, using a technical interface, will allow us to bring out the important components of interpersonal contact, and in this way its links with the realm of emotions.Good stuff. So that's all for today- I guess three things isn't that much more than two. Read, share and become better informed.
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